Across production lines, processing plants and energy sites, maintaining productivity is constant concern. Machines need to keep running, but the teams who service them are stretched thin. Skilled people are hard to find and every hour of downtime carries a cost. That’s where a maintenance partner, part of the SKF Authorized Distributor network comes in. SKF Authorized Distributors have long been the link between local industries and global technology. They are the source for genuine SKF products and understand the applications those products serve. Some of them go further, becoming SKF Maintenance Partners. Supported with SKF knowledge and tools, SKF Maintenance Partners are equipped to manage both planned and unplanned maintenance. Plus, they are already part of the customer’s trusted ecosystem: already on the radar, meaning they are ready to respond quickly. For many customers, this combination shortens response times and limits downtime. In several plants, distributors now plan periodic inspections and provide fast-track repairs during unplanned stops — keeping production targets on schedule. Ahead of the curve From this foundation, Maintenance Partners extend SKF’s reach into real-world operations. They bring product availability, technical insight and hands-on service together in one place — helping customers solve mechanical problems, carry out alignments and inspections or prevent failures through condition monitoring. Their expertise is proven through training and practical demonstration, continually supported by SKF’s engineering base. At Faber Industrietechnik in Germany, Managing Director Volker Auth remembers when the word “service” simply meant delivery speed. Two decades later, it’s the basis of the company’s identity. “We want to think first and foremost in terms of customer solutions,” he says. “It’s not just about selling products — it’s about supporting the customer where they actually need us.” Faber was the first SKF Authorized Distributor to become a Maintenance Partner back in 2003, long before predictive maintenance became common practice. “We already believed it made sense to combine products and services,” Auth explains. “We invested a lot, but the long-term relationships we’ve built show it was the right direction.” That approach has made Faber a reference for maintenance across sectors such as recycling, paper and cement. “A customer might start with lubrication advice,” Auth adds. “Then we move into vibration measurement, identifying bearing replacement needs, which we then carry out. We support them through the whole process.” When a supplier becomes a partner In Spain, ERSA – El Rodamiento S.A. has followed a similar path, driven by the same principle: being close to the customer. Founded in 1965, ERSA’s roots are in bearings, but over time, Managing Director Fran Cimadevilla and his team turned that foundation into something broader. “Our relationship with SKF began in 1994,” Cimadevilla recalls. “As it developed, customers started to expect more than product supply. They wanted solutions.” Becoming an SKF Maintenance Partner gave structure to that evolution. The programme formalised what ERSA was already doing, which was integrating technical advice, lubrication management and condition monitoring into everyday work. “The training and development we receive through SKF have been crucial,” he says. “It’s changed how customers see us. We’re no longer just a bearing supplier.” ERSA’s technicians now apply SKF’s maintenance procedures directly at customer sites, sharing data and experience that flow both ways. “Our strengths are customer focus and mutual trust,” Cimadevilla says. “That’s what allows us to grow together and keep adapting to new needs.” Redefining distributor value For Berto, in northern Italy, partnership has become a platform for reinvention. Giuseppe Boschiero, who represents the third generation of family ownership, describes a long history of collaboration with SKF. “We’ve worked together for three generations,” he says. “Over time we realised we needed to go beyond component supply — to deliver something more.” Joining the Maintenance Partner network was the first step. The next was to expand capacity. In early 2025, Berto launched G2 Corporation, a workshop equipped for full mechanical maintenance and plant revamping. “Our goal is to take on complete maintenance for our customers’ machines,” Boschiero explains. “We already have staff delivering and we’re building a team of technicians who can go to the customer, carry out repairs and perform overhauls.” The programme also responds to a big challenge in the market. “Many experienced maintenance technicians have retired,” he notes. “We’ve gathered a lot of know-how from them over the years. Now we want to bring that knowledge back into practice by delivering services ourselves.” Behind the new operation lies a wider vision: to combine local capability with SKF’s engineering knowledge, where customers find both the products and the people to keep their plants running supported by SKF’s know-how. A network that doesn’t stand still Maintenance Partners form part of SKF’s broader network of more than 7,000 distributors worldwide — each acknowledged for their continuous investment in technical competence, people, service and tools. Through them, SKF extends its expertise to where it matters most: the customer’s shop floor. For companies under pressure to maintain uptime, reduce costs and work with limited skilled staff, these partners provide practical support that is within reach. They support maintenance planning to prevent downtime and respond quickly when needed. As Auth puts it: “Both SKF and distributor must stay innovative. Technology, dedication and a focus on the customer — that’s what keeps the partnership alive.” Cimadevilla agrees: “We’ve grown together, and the next step is to keep developing new solutions.” And Boschiero adds: “We want to combine what we’ve learned from the past with new ways of working. That’s how we’ll stay relevant for our customers today and tomorrow.” With maintenance teams under pressure and resources stretched, having trusted expertise close by — often already on the supplier’s speed dial — can make all the difference.